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ployed in bakehouses, throughout London, on the Sunday forenoon." So writes my correspondent; but I venture to assure him that few of the priests care how many bakers or cooks, grooms or coachmen, are employed on a Sunday. Their luxuries few of them would forego, on any day. As for bothering about the Post-office, it is a part of their vocation to stand in the way of public improvement, and they are eager to seize on any occasion for making pretences to strict righteousness. Let us hear of their demanding a holiday for the poor bakers, and giving the holiday to their cooks, grooms, and coachmen, and we shall be more ready to believe that their din about the Postoffice arises from a religious regard to their Sunday-Sabbath.

What little hope the poor bakers can have from Parliament let the debate, in the Commons, of Tuesday night in last week testify! Lord Robert Grosvenor, with humanity that does him honour, entreated for leave to bring in a bill to remedy the case of the Journeyman Bakers, and had a majority of two to one against him. And who was the chief opposer? With shame and regret it must be spoken-John Bright was that man! his opposition too, was couched in the language of the most vulgar objection: Lord Robert Grosvenor was urging the objection of Communistic doctrines, John Bright said-and said it, too, because he knew the vulgar prejudices of members of Parliament would take alarm at that. It was the most disreputable way of putting a man down: disreputable because it appealed to fear and ignorance-for how many of the Commons' members know what Communism is ? To the great credit of Lord Dudley Stuart, George Thompson, and Sharman Crawford, among Liberals,-and of Mr. Stafford, among Conservatives, be it remembered that they spoke earnestly in favour of Lord Robert Grosvenor's motion. But what can a few do in Parliament? The poor bakers, in spite of their apparent helplessness, must shew that they are resolved to help themselves-or, I repeat, they must toil on and die.

Workingmen, I tell all of you that that is a truth applicable to you all. Will you despairingly submit to it-or will you, one and all, begin to resolve to band yourselves into Brotherhoods and take yourselves out of the power of oppression? The means?' do you still ask? Cast about, and try to find the means. But do not despair without trying.

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THOMAS Cooper.

P.S. I have just learnt another cheering fact. Mr. Neale, a gentleman of large property, being about to erect a house in May-fair (one of the most aristocratic parts of London) has accepted the contract of an Association of Working Builders; and more-he hints that 500 acres of land, in his possession, shall be open to an Association of Working Cultivators. I hope to learn more particulars by next week. The importance of attending to this subject of Association must be my apology for deferring the conclusion of the 'Reminiscence of Wordsworth' till next number.

NOTES WHICH THEY WHO RUN MAY READ.

"THE CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPIST."-A penny monthly periodical, under this title, is published at Newcastle-on-Tyne-conducted, if my information be correct, by Dissenting Ministers. It has several excellent objects in view, and not the least is the advocacy of Temperance. The number for April has been forwarded to me by three friends, who each draw my attention to the opening article, which is entitled-" The English in the cast-off Clothes of the Ger

mans the duty of the Church in relation to the Age." It sets out with observing that as "England has long borrowed her fashions in dress from her French neighbours," so she is now borrowing "her modes of religious and philosophic thinking from the more speculative Germans." The intended wit of the title selected for the article points at Strauss, and is sharpened as follows:

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"Not only has a very excellent English translation rendered his writings accessible to the higher class of readers, but he has lately found a shrewd, sagacious, and zealous interpreter, in the person of Mr. Thomas Cooper, a man who understands the popular English taste, and who has displayed a considerable amount of tact in adapting Strauss's German reasonings to the less mystical and clear-headed people of our island. His English version will undoubtedly have a wide sale, and must exercise a considerable influence on the minds of multitudes, who will eagerly swallow the poison, but for whom no proper antidote has been provided. We do not share in the exaggerated fears of some; but the subject appears to us to be one of vast importance, and demands the careful and earnest thought of every lover of truth and righteousness. Indifference to the danger, or silence as to its existence, will not remove it. The cry of peace, peace,' in the hour of peril, at the very crisis of existence, may be pleasing to quiet easy people; but it is treason to the common cause, and cannot fail to issue in ultimate disaster and defeat."

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Now, all this parade of zeal for orthodoxy becomes questionable in its character, when the reader gets through the article, and finds not one word of defence penned for orthodoxy. The writer is conjectured to be the Rev. H. Rogers, M.A., Independent Minister. A man who has taken a learned degree cannot be supposed to be unqualified for the work of defence; and yet he contents himself with lamenting the 'indifference' of others Why does he not prove his sincerity by showing us that the narratives in the Gospels are not Legends, but true History? He observes, towards the close of his article, that "there will be little force in sceptical objections to those who have at all accustomed themselves to the study of the points involved." If such really be his conviction, it would be an easy work for him to sweep away Strauss and his book, together with the 'shrewd, sagacious and zealous interpreter,' and his Critical Exegesis.' Until this be done, Mr. R.'s flourishes about 'God's truth'-that is to say orthodoxy-being "a rock," and "a deep flowing river,” and “a sun," may pass for pretty strokes of rhetoric-but they cannot stand in the place of argument, or satisfy people who think for themselves. The wittiest titles Mr. R. can select will serve his purpose no better. A freethinker might return his compliment by describing "Orthodox Christianity in the cast-off clothes of Paganism"-or in some other way as apt as Mr. R.'s. But what then? The Gospel narratives would have to be examined: it would have to be shewn that they were not legendary, but historical. The challenge is thrown down. Will Mr. Rogers take it up? If not, let him cease to blame his brethren for indifference.'

THE LONDON UNDERTAKERS.—The following is a copy of a circular which has just been addressed to every M.P. by a master Undertaker not 100 miles from Tottenham Court Road ::-

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"Although I write to you individually, I represent a class of Metropolitan Tradesmen numbering upwards of 10,000; 1,000 of whom, like myself, get their living solely by the Undertaking trade, while the remaining 9,000 are more or less employed. I beg respectfully to call your attention to clauses 25, 26, 27, and 61, in a Bill now to be submitted to you in Parliament entitled the Metropolitan Interments' Bill,' which if permitted to pass into law with these clauses, will virtually shut up every one of our shops; and for why? To benefit the public? No! but to create a monopoly, dangerous in the extreme, both in policy and practice, especially in a free-trade country. Although to effect this monopoly, recourse has been had to the basest falsehoods respecting the present burial grounds, we interfere not, but agree with extramural interments as being a step in the right direction. Hoping you will not allow the slightest interference with trade, there being sufficient competition to protect the public, I have the honour to be, &c., &c." Furthermore, some of these master Undertakers are saying very bitter

things about the Government, and regretting that they have supported it— seeing that the said Government hesitates not to entertain the idea of cutting away their monopoly. One worthy Undertaker, residing not far from Long Acre, cries out that, on the 'glorious 10th of April,' he himself raised 600 special constables to put down the Chartists, and yet this is the reward the rascally Whig government gives him for his exertions-shuts up his shop! Good lack! how little it takes to melt away some people's 'patriotism!'

ORGANISATION OF LABOUR.-Let men laugh at Louis Blanc as they may, he has stirred the minds of all our great thinkers. Thomas Carlyle, with all his dislike of Universal Suffrages and Ballot-boxes,' asserts that the Organisation of Labour is the duty of a Government. The idea must and will gain strength in some shape. In a late number of his 'Latter Day Pamphlets' he is proposing Industrial Regiments of the New Era,' with 'continents of new real work opened out, for the Home and all other Public Offices among us.' And after describing the Home Office 'looking out, as for life and salvation, for proper men to command these Regiments'—he thus goes on:-

"Wise obedience and wise command. I foresee that the regimenting of Pauper Banditti into Soldiers of Industry is but the beginning of this blessed process, which will extend to the topmost heights of our Society; and, in the course of generations, make us all once more a Governed Commonwealth, and Civitas Dei, if it please God! Waste-land Industrials succeeding, other kinds of Industry, as cloth-making, shoe-making, plough-making, spademaking, house-building,—in the end, all kinds of Industry whatsoever will be found capable of regimenting. Mill-operatives, all manner of free operatives, as yet unregimented, nomadic under private masters, they, seeing such example and its blessedness, will say: Masters, you must regiment us a little; make our interests with you permanent a little, instead of temporary and nomadic; we will enlist with the State otherwise!' This will go on, on the one hand, while the State-operation goes on, on the other: thus will all Masters of Workmen, private Captains of Industry, be forced to incessantly co-operate with the State and its public Captains; they regimenting in their way, the State in its way, with ever-widening field; till their fields meet (so to speak) and coalesce, and there be no unregimented worker, or such only as are fit to remain unregimented, any more.-O my friends,. I clearly perceive this horrible cloaca of Pauperism, wearing nearly bottomless now, is the point where we must begin. Here, in this plainly unendurable portion of the general quagmire, the lowest point of all, and hateful even to M'Crowdy, must our main drain begin: steadily prosecuting that, tearing that along with Herculean labour and divine fidelity, we shall gradually drain the entire Stygian swamp, and make it all once more a fruitful field!''

THE FINANCIAL REFORMERS.-I said nothing about their Conference at the time it was being held--because they did nothing. True, there were a few good speeches made-such as those by W. J. Fox, George Dawson, and George Thompson. But the cold-water caution of John Bright, and the refusal of the Conference to entertain the question of Manhood Suffrage, served to negative the positive good speaking, and to render the whole affair a political neutrality. This association may do good; but it will not be in a hurry. THOMAS COOPER.

Lectures, in London, for the ensuing Week.

SUNDAY, May 19, at half-past 7, Literary Institution, John Street, Fitzroy Square. "Life and Genius of Voltaire"-Thomas Cooper. At half past 7, Hall of Science (near Finsbury Square,) City Road. Last Moments of Great Men " -Walter Cooper.

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MONDAY, May 20, at half-past 8, Mechanics' Institute, Gould Square, Crutched Friars.
On Bathing "-Dr. Epps. At half-past 8, Pentonville Athenæum, 23, Henry
Street. 66
'Readings from the Lady of Lyons"-C. Sims. At half-past 8, Soho
Mutual Instruction Society, 2, Little Dean Street. "Phonography and Phonetic
Spelling."-W. Russell.

WEDNESDAY, May 22, at 8, Hackney Scientific and Literary Institution.

verbs"-George Dawson, M.A.

"Popular Pro

Correspondence.

SIR-Judging from my own observation of the literary compositions of the present day, there appears to me to be great doubt in the minds of many writers as to the correct spelling of certain derivative words such as bigoted, worshiping, traveling, &c., as if there was no rule by which the orthography might be guided. One's eyesight is constantly annoyed by seeing two ts, two ps, two ls, respectively in the words just instanced, the doubling of which letters must either be the result of ignorance or carelessness. Perhaps you will be kind enough to aid in reforming this abuse by making it known that in the preface to Webster's American Dictionary of the English language will be found these words :." On this subject Walker observes, in his Rhyming Dictionary, Dr. Lowth has justly remarked that this error (that of doubling the final consonant when not under the accent) frequently takes place in the words worshiping, counseling, etc., which, having the accent on the first syllable, ought to be written worshiping, counseling, etc. An ignorance of this rule has led many to write bigotted for bigoted, and from this spelling has arisen a false pronunciation; but no letter seems to be more frequently doubled improperly than l. Why we should write libelling, revelling, and yet offering, suffering, reasoning, I am at a loss to determine; and unless I can give a better plea than any other letter in the alphabet for being doubled in this situation, I must in the style of Lucian, in his trial of the letter t, declare for an expulsion.' In this expulsion, it is believed, the public will finally concur, when they reflect, that this violation of analogy takes place in the derivatives of comparatively few words, in opposition to multitudes of instances in which the general rule prevails.

The general rule, then, is that when the accent is on the first syllable in those derivative words, the final consonant of the primitive is NOT to be doubled.

I offer these remarks as a useful hint to your younger readers, and
Mr. Thomas Cooper.

Remain yours respectfully, OMICRON.

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[I wish we had among us, an acknowledged literary tribunal, like the French Academy, to which all disputes on spelling, pronunciation, grammar, &c., could be referred. In default of this, I fear our irregularities must continue for many years to come. No one likes to take upon himself the singularity of omitting the two ls in libelling'-although Omicron has shewn us, in the quotation given above, that analogy demands but one 1. Landor, who ought to be considered an authority, adopted several reforms in spelling in the first edition of his splendid 'Imaginary Conversations;' and yet nobody would follow him. It is discouraging to attempt reform when so great a writer's example proved a failure.-T. C.]

London."

To Correspondents.

Correspondents will please address "Thomas Cooper, 5, Park Row, Knightsbridge, J. H. Y., Haggerstone.-I would not recommend you to do any such thing. Try cold water sponging, and take more exercise.

T. M., Macclesfield.-Send me the name of your London agent. I can do nothing without that.

J. E. J., Bethnal Green; Journeyman Carpenter;' T. W., Bristol; Anglicus;' 'Radical.'-Their poetry is most respectfully declined.

'Gustavus,' Edinburgh.-Will he send me his full address, that I may write to him, privately?

A. B.-I leave London, for the North of England, if all be well, on Monday, May 27have to talk at Coventry that night and the next-at Hull on the three next nights-and journey, on Saturday, to Newcastle-on-Tyne, where I am to talk twice on Sunday, June 2nd, and also on the two following Sundays. On the week-days, during the first fortnight in June, I shall be ready to attend to such appointments in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, as the friends may fix upon. If I find it possible to stay from home longer, I shall be happy to visit the friends at Sheffield, Bradford, Keighley, and other towns, with which I have corresponded. But if circumstances should call me home in the middle of June, I will take the first opportunity of setting out again to visit them.-T. C.

THINKINGS, FROM ARCHDEACON PALEY.

OF PROPERTY.-If you should see a flock of pigeons in a field of corn; and if (instead of each picking where and what it liked, taking just as much as it wanted, and no more) you should see ninety-nine of them gathering all they got in a heap; reserving nothing for themselves but the chaff and the refuse; keeping this heap for one, and that the weakest, perhaps worst, pigeon of the flock; sitting round, and looking on, all the winter, whilst this one was devouring, throwing about, and wasting it; and if a pigeon, more hardy or hungry than the rest, touched a grain of the hoard, all the others instantly flying upon it, and tearing it to pieces; -if you should see this, you would see nothing more than what is every day practised and established among men. Among men you see the ninety and nine toiling and scraping together a heap of superfluities for one (and this one too, often times, the feeblest and worst of the whole set-a child, a woman, a madman, or a fool ;) getting nothing for themselves all the while, but a little of the coarsest of the provision which their own industry produces; looking quietly on,. while they see the fruits of all their labour spent or spoiled; and if one of the number take or touch a particle of the hoard, the others joining against him, and hanging him for the theft.

EXAMPLE OF PARENTS.—A good parent's first care is to be virtuous himself; his second to make his virtues as easy and engaging to those about him as their nature will admit. Virtue itself offends, when coupled with forbidding manners; and some virtues may be urged to such excess, or brought forward so unseasonably, as to discourage and repel those who observe and who are acted upon by them, instead of exciting an inclination to imitate and adopt them. Young minds are particularly liable to these unfortunate impressions. For instance, if a father's economy degenerate into a minute and teasing parsimony, it is odds but that the son, who has suffered under it, sets out a sworn enemy to all rules of order and frugality. If a father's piety be morose, rigorous, and tinged with melancholy, perpetually breaking in upon the recreation of his family, and surfeiting them with the language of religion on all occasions, there is a danger lest the son carry from home with him a settled prejudice against seriousness and religion, as inconsistent with every plan of a pleasurable life; and turns out, when he mixes with the world, a character of levity or dissoluteness.

IMITATION.-Amongst the causes assigned for the continuance and diffusion of the same moral sentiments amongst mankind, may be mentioned imitation. The efficacy of this principle is most observable in children indeed, if there be anything in them which deserves the name of an instinct, it is their propensity to imitation. Now there is nothing which children imitate, or apply more readily, than expressions of affection and aversion, of approbation, hatred, resentment, and the like; and when these passions and expressions are once connected, which they soon will be by the same association which unites words with their ideas, the passion will follow the expression, and attach upon the object to which the child has been accustomed to apply the epithet. In a word, when almost everything else is learned by imitation, can we wonder to find the same cause concerned in the generation of our moral sentiments?

It is

INFLUENCE OF HABIT.-Mankind act more from habit than reflection. in few only and great occasions that men deliberate at all; on fewer still that they institute any thing like a regular enquiry into the moral rectitude or depravity of what they are about to do, or wait for the result of it. We are for the most part determined at once; and by an impulse, which is the effect and energy of pre-established habits. And this constitution seems well adapted to the exigencies of human life, and to the imbecility of our moral principle. In the current occasions and rapid opportunities of life, there is oftentimes little leisure for reflection; and were there more, a man who has to reason about his duty, when the temptation to transgress it is upon him, is almost sure to reason himself into an error. If we are in so great a degree passive under our habits, where, it is asked, is the exercise of virtue, the guilt of vice, or any use of moral and religious knowledge?-I answer, in the forming and contracting of these habits.

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